“Do not let me hear again, the voice of the Lord my God, nor look any longer on this great fire, or I shall die” (from first reading of fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Deut. 18: 15-20).
We create layers of insulation between us and God. God seems dangerous, scary, threatening. We plead for a more “normal” experience of God, something mediated by another, braver person, someone crazy enough to brave the thunder and lightning of God’s presence.
I was praying about this passage this morning and feeling profoundly the people’s loss of their direct contact with God. I also understand their fear. Who wants to come away from an encounter with God with hair singed and ears ringing?
We do. Let us be shepherded through the desert back to Horeb. Let us be those who are brave enough to see God’s face and hear God’s voice. Let us be the ones who speak God’s message in the world. Even more important, let us be the ones who bring God’s people back to Horeb, who transmit the courage to brave God’s presence.
– Blog entry by Sister Terry Walter